Top Events in Sydney for 2024

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Posted 2024-01-14 by Cassandra ⇒ follow

Plan your year and schedule these key Sydney events in your calendar. Booking in early can make all the difference. You can book the best seats, snap up the best hotel rates and enjoy early booking discounts. Make 2024 your year of getting ahead of the crowds!

1. Sydney Streets
Dates: February, March and April

Sydney Streets is a perfect way to experience the myriad of communities that make up our diverse city. The city suburbs of Darlinghurst, Pyrmont, Redfern, Potts Point, Glebe and Surry Hills will be welcoming everyone to their local streets with music, entertainment, pop-ups, kids activities and food for a celebratory day out.

Discover what makes these communities unique and meet the locals. And when you find yourself in one of these areas again, you will know exactly where the best places are to visit. View the schedule on the City of Sydney website. The first street festival will be held in Potts Point on Saturday 17 February from 9.00am -11.30am.

2. Lunar New Year Celebrations
Date: 10 - 25 February

Unleash your inner dragon at one of the best cultural events in Sydney. Lunar New Year is always a joyful and colourful affair that welcomes all ages to come and celebrate. Some of the events planned include a jet pack show in Cockle Bay, a street party in Haymarket, dance performances and the annual Lunar New Year parade. Further details will be published on the City of Sydney website .

The Dragon Boat Festival will also be held on 16 - 18 February which will include boat races on Darling Harbour. Cheer on the dragon boat paddlers while enjoying music and entertainment or join in on the fun yourself. You may just find your new passion! Visit www.dbnsw.org.au for festival details.

3. Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardis Gras
Dates: 16 February - 3 March 2024

Tickets are already on sale for the biggest party in Sydney. But if you'd prefer to take a more relaxed approach, you can find a variety of fun activities on the official Mardis Gras website . Take a breathwork masterclass, learn about queer cartooning online, watch a basketball or volleyball tournament and visit the Sea Life aquarium for drag storytime. Whatever your interest, your participation will help support a range of local charities and the LGBTQ+ community.

The Sydney Mardi Gras Parade will take place on Saturday 2 March from 6pm on Oxford Street. Tickets are being made available for a free accessible viewing area. To grab one of the limited places, go to the Mardis Gras website to submit an application. The Mardis Gras Party will follow the parade at Moore Park. From 10pm to 8am, you can traverse six different venues for heart-stopping DJs and performances to enjoy a night to remember. Visit mardigras.org.au for event details and to purchase tickets.

4. Biennale Sydney
Date: 9 March - 10 June 2024

Discover mesmerising and innovative artwork in this gigantic contemporary art festival that will centre on the cosmological theme, Ten Thousand Suns. Being held for the 24th year in 2024, the program features a range of art tours, installations, artist talks, Art After Dark music events, a communal feast and the opening of the heritage-listed White Bay Power Station.

The power station will be transformed into a sensory wonderland on Saturday 4 May for Family Day. Attendees can interact with textures at the soft sculptural picnic installation, be entertained by roving performers and join a textiles workshop. May the 4th be with you!

Find more program events and book tickets at www.biennaleofsydney.art

5. Sydney Writers' Festival
Dates: 20 - 26 May 2024

SWF features a plethora of topical talks, workshops and engaging live interviews. Along with the best writers, you can see journalists, movie makers, comedians, podcast hosts and other storytellers sharing their experiences, advice and perspectives. The festival holds both free and paid events in various locations including Sydney Town Hall, Powerhouse Museum, Riverside Theatre (Parramatta) and Carriageworks (Eveleigh). The success of SWF has helped it grow into a comprehensive program that will inspire both adults and children, professionals and novices alike. And you are almost certainly guaranteed to walk away appreciating how powerful the written word really is. Expect plenty of provocative and entertaining conversation!

Get the details: Visit www.swf.org.au and sign up to their newsletter to find out about program events first.

6. Sydney Good Food and Wine Show
Dates: 21 - 22 June 2024

There's no better way to find the best cuisine and best drops of wine than at this annual show. Enjoy tastings and live demonstrations all day long. Pick up some cooking tips, learn new recipes and become inspired by the masters at work. You will find renewed passion for the art of cooking while you enjoy the samples of food and beverages on offer. This premium event is a foodie's paradise that regularly hosts top chefs and sommeliers. You won't find a better event with so much to offer under one roof. Event partners include Cobram Estate, Peter Bourchier (Butchers of Distinction, La Gruyère, Infinity Blue Barramundi, and V2 Food.

Visit goodfoodshow.com.au and sign up to their newsletter to receive updates about the event.

7. City2Surf
Date: 11 August 2024

Turn your Sunday stroll into a fun, sightseeing journey along the roads between Hyde Park and Bondi in August. The huge fundraising event is always uplifting and atmospheric. Aim to beat your personal time or dress up with your friends before finishing at the beach for a gigantic party. If you'd prefer to watch the action instead, there will be many spots across the course that you can cheer on participants at or wait at the finish line to see who comes first! The record time is a mere 40 minutes and 2.46 seconds which was set in 1991, according to ausrunning.net.

Over $55 million has been raised at City2Surf which has helped support charities including the Sydney Children's Hospital Foundation, the Black Dog Institute, Beyond Blue and many others. Early bird prices will be available from 28 March and until 4 May. The last day to request a race bib by postage is 30 June, after which you can pick up your bib at the City2Surf collection point. View event details and last year's highlights at city2surf.com.au

8. Parramatta Lanes Festival
Date: mid October

Parramatta Lanes is a feast for the senses. Over four nights, the Parramatta CBD transforms into a kaleidoscope of music, art and culinary delights. The festival brings together over 180,000 people to celebrate the diverse cultures that make up Sydney. It is free to attend and kicks off from the early evening. The music program is extensive; multiple stages of DJs, bands and local singers will fill the streets with incredible sounds while the food trucks keep everyone's appetites satiated. The festival also features immersive art installations that will turn Parramatta into an outdoor gallery. Take your selfie stick and your most comfortable shoes for four incredible nights in Sydney's second city.

For more details and to see last year's highlights, visit atparramatta.com . Follow for event updates on Instagram and Facebook

9. Norton Street Italian Festa
Date: late October

The annual tradition of the Italian Festa will be celebrating its 38th year. Held in Leichhardt - also known as 'Little Italy' - the street festival is one of the largest in Australia. The street will be overrun with food stalls, carnival rides, music and entertainment. There is also a cooking stage that features live demonstrations and workshops from the best Italian chefs in Sydney. Whether you love nothing more than a bowl of gnocchi, a slice of pizza, or a hand-made cannoli, you will find no shortage of beautifully prepared cuisine. And to top it off, there will be a display of vintage and contemporary Italian vehicles that will make you wish you could reenact the scenes of The Italian Job.

Follow the Festa on Instagram and Facebook for event details, or visit the festival website closer to October: festa.net.au

10. Noël Sydney
Date: mid to late December

First held in 2022, the event has attracted over 100,000 people to experience Christmas joy in the Royal Botanic Garden. Festive-goers can enjoy a Christmas market, family variety show and a sky show all set in an enchanting scene of a Christmas forest. Expect the event to run nightly in the week leading up to Christmas.

Visit noelsydney.com or follow Noël Sydney on Facebook and Instagram for information about the 2024 event.